McKinley Park

For the first day of summer vacation I decided that we needed a stay home and stay inside day. The weather had actually been so nice the kids had been enjoying the pool for over a week and the house had turned into a pit. I told the kids that the best way to start summer was with a clean slate. I also explained the saying "many hands make light work". We all worked together and cleaned and organized every room in the house. They were champs!!! 

So for the second day of summer vacation I thought we should get out and do something. I needed to go to Sears down in Tacoma because I ordered something online and needed to pick it up. I thought it might be nice to find a new park to go to in Tacoma. The boys and I looked online before we left home and decided on McKinley park because it said it had two playgrounds and walking trails. 

It was a little odd driving there...literally a residential street comes to and end and there's the park. No parking lot...not even enough room to turn around. We could see the playarea at the bottom of the hill so we headed that way. On our walk down there we passed a lady who I'm pretty sure was carrying a beer can. I was saying some prayers right about then. 

There was a mom and her son playing and then a professional looking woman sitting at a picnic table. Later the mom was joined by her boyfriend/husband. After a while the professional lady got up and they all started talking. They didn't really seem like they would normally be people that hung out together. They all left and about 5 minutes later the mom and dad came walking back down, but the professional lady was gone and so was the son. I noticed the mom crying and that's when it hit me....it was a supervised visitation! Broke my heart! 

The hill that came down towards the playarea was the perfect grade so the kids kept going up and coming down. 

Zeke didn't really enjoy the toys all that much...he mainly rode the scooter around and around the playarea. I love that it was paved the whole way around! 

The park had two sets of toys...ones for smaller kids and then this challenging area for bigger kids. The thing Owen was on would spin and spin with his weight. 

Jack did not like it at all! 

There was a neighborhood cat that was hanging out at the playground so the kids got to sit and pet him for a little while. 

Here's a picture of the whole playground with the hill that they rode down. It really was an awesome park! 

Halfway up the hill is another playarea for skateboarders. Since there weren't any skateboards I like the kids use it with their bikes and scooters. 

I had never seen one of these at a park before. They were skateboard riding toys...they were fun and a little freaky! 

Jack was really brave and rode his scooter down the ramp. It doesn't look like it's steep, but it was a pretty good slant! 

I told took Ella's bike down and it was fun and I said so. Then she went down and almost fell off her bike and she was so mad at me. She kept saying things like...."That was not fun mommy....you lied!" 

Owen got really good at going down one ramp and then pedaling up the other one. 

Ella wanted to try the skateboard toy one more time.

We walked further up the hill and right next to our van was this other skateboard ramp so over course the kids wanted to try it out as well. 

Owen would ride his bike over the bumps and then halfway up the steep incline and then go backwards. 

Jackson did really good with his scooter. 

I climbed to the top and that's when Jack came up and decided to just run down. 

He amazed me...I would have fallen flat on my face! 

He did so well though!

Of course Owen had to try as well! 

Easy peasy as he would say! 

Then they started running all the way up and then climbing to the top! 

Happy boy! 

Ella ran and ran and finally was able to grab on and pull herself up! 

Verdict....the park was AMAZING! I loved every bit of it the incline and the different options. The location was freaky! As I was backing out there was a car that pulled in beside me and I think they were smoking pot. I know that's legal and all, but not something I want my kids around. Later that night when I was telling Michael about the park he said, "Please don't go to that park again!" I'm super bummed that it wasn't in a better neighborhood, but we will keep trying to find another park that's just as awesome!